Stocking



March 27, 1951 F, L, HALL 2,546,444

STOCKING Filed June 8, 1949 INVENTOR. Frederic/r L Ha ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 27, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE-W STOCKING I Frederick L. Hall, Snow Shoe, Pa.

Application June 8, 1949, Serial No. 97,807

6 Claims. 1

The invention relates to stockings, and to the manufacture thereof. It is especially directed to stockings intended for evening wear, having new features which are both useful and ornamental.

The usual type of stocking has either a seam down the back of the leg or a reinforcement in the heel and foot, or both. When these are not properly centered on the wearer's legs, the appearance is sloppy and displeasing. Under normal conditions, it is easy enough to tell whether the stocking is properly positioned, butthis is not possible'when the wearer is going from darkness into an illuminated area.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a stocking so constructed thatth'e wearer is able to determine, even in darkness, whether a stocking is straight on the leg.

Another object of the invention "is to produce a stocking in which this result isl;achieved by incoraporating at proper points, during the manufacture of the stocking, one or more luminescent threads which will glow in the dark.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a stocking which is highly ornamental even in darkness, since the design formed by the luminescent threads is visible even though the remainer of the stocking may be only dimly seen. Such a stocking attracts considerable attention and adds enticement.

A further object of the invention is to embody in the stocking luminescent threads which are so selected as to serve, when the wearer is in an illuminated place, to create a distinctly visible and contrasting seam or pattern inthe stocking.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the following description,"especially when taken in} conjunction with the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof.

In the drawings: I

Fig; a rear perspective view: of a stocking embodying my invention;

Fig.2 is a side view thereof;

Fig.3 is a rear view thereof; and

Fig. 4 is a side view of a modification thereof.

The stocking shown in Figs. 1 to 3 has a body formedof a leg portion 2 anda foot portion 4, with arconventional top 6. A'seam 8 extends up the back of the stocking, lying inlthe fore-andaft plane? of the stocking, theiplane AA of Fig. 3. The; stocking also has a reinforced heel and foot portion ID of conventional-type, this portion ordinarily contrasting in appearance with the body of the stocking because 'it'is formed of more ,clo'sely knitted threads.

or stripe l2.

According to one phase of the present inven tion, the reinforcement I0 is outlined by a line The reinforcement is symmetrical with respect to the fore-and-aft plane, as is the seam, so that the pattern formed by line I2 is also symmetrical with respect to this plane. The pattern may extend as shown down practically to the toe, or it may end at some intermediate point.

According to the present invention, either the seam 8 or some part or all of the pattern line I2, is made luminescent. This is preferably accomplished by incorporating, during the manufacture of the stocking, in a manner well known in the art, a luminescent thread in the bdoy of the stocking. Such a thread is of itself known, and is produced by the inclusion of a suitable luminescent material in the thread. Several threads may be incorporated side by side if a wider line or stripe is desired. 7

Preferably the pattern so formed is also visible in ordinary light, so as to serve as the usual ornamentation. This may be done by knitting the threads more closely in the pattern than in the adjoining parts of the stocking; or by using threads of different gauge; or by using the threads of different color, or which will assume a different color-or shade when the stocking is dyed, or in an other suitable fashion.

The pattern need not be formed of a single line. Fig. 4 shows a pattern composed of a wide stripe l4 along the edge of the reinforcement, which could be four needles wide, and a narrow line l6 spaced slightly from the stripe and within the body of the stocking, which may be two needles wide. One or both of these stripes may be luminescent. Obviously other patterns may be used, as long as they are symmetrical about the fore-and-aft plane" of the stocking.

It is clear that such'a stocking, in addition to presenting a pleasing appearance either in light or in darkness, alsoenables the wearer to determine, even in the dark, whether her stockings are askew, and prevents the embarassment which she might otherwise sufier of entering a lighted room only to discover that her stockings ar in an unsightly condition. The invention can be practiced with known machinery without substantial changes therein, andin ways known to operators skilled in the art.

While I have described herein some embodi ments of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not intend to limit myself thereby except within the scope of the claims hereto or hereinafter appended.

the upper part of said reinforcement.

4. In a stocking as claimed in claim 3, said pattern contrasting in appearance with, the adjacent portions of the stocking. V s r 5. In a stocking as claimed in name, a seam extending up the back of the stocking.;'and at least one luminescent thread incorporated in said seam.

, 6. n astockingas claimed 'i'nrcl'aim 3, a-seam extending up the back of the stocking, and at least one luminescent thread incorporated in said seam.

FREDERICK L. HALL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number fName. =D'a'te 1,816,709 Wilson July 28, 1931 2,469,961 Gottschalck May 10, 1949 2,512,480 Dills June 20, 1950 OTHER REFERENCES "The ABCpf Luminescence; published by the New-Jersey Zinc 00., 1944, page 20.

Luminescence: Pringsheim et al.; published by Interscience Publishers, Inc., 1943', pages 132- 134. 

